Celebrating life at Barchester

Our home was glowing with light, laughter, and love as residents and staff came together to celebrate the Festival of Lights! From decorating diyas and colourful rangolis to sharing delicious sweets and heartfelt wishes, the day was filled with joy and togetherness. We’re grateful for moments like these that bring our community closer and fill our hearts with warmth. Wishing everyone a bright, joyful, and safe Diwali from all of us at Cubbington Mill. 

A huge shout-out to the team from VR for Care Homes – Virtual Reality Activity Services for their wonderful performance today. Care Practioner, Jeet, prepared traditional Indian dishes including a range of warming curries, spicy samosas, crispy bhajis and papadums with lime pickle and chutneys, followed by traditional Indian sweets such as laddoo and barfi for the residents to enjoy. The Resident Ambassador, John, commented: “I love all the different cultural events that we celebrate here, there’s always something going on.  I especially like the religious festivals of other cultures and sampling the wonderful food.  It makes me feel like I am travelling abroad!”’  

We all know that people living on their own are most susceptible to loneliness and isolation, going days, weeks, months or even years without speaking or seeing anybody else. In our bid to tackle loneliness and isolation in our community, this afternoon we had the pleasure of visiting DayBreak Respite Care in Staines. 

Daybreak opened in 2008 and offers care, entertainment and delicious food for elderly and disabled people whilst their carers take a well-earned day off. 

We enjoyed having a chat with members and staff, including Cllr Denise Saliagopoulos. We introduced ourselves and explained some of the free community events going on around our home and encouraged everyone to pop along and join us.      

We’re delighted to share that our recent Community Menopause Workshop was a huge success!

Our very own talented Activity Assistant, Karen, hosted two wonderful sessions where she guided participants through Breathwork, Facial Massage, and Meditation — all fantastic techniques to help support women going through menopause.

We also shared informative leaflets and resources. Everyone also enjoyed a selection of herbal teas and delicious fresh fruit platters lovingly prepared by our amazing kitchen team.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us, and an extra special thanks to our beautiful Karen for leading such an inspiring and nurturing workshop.  

Today, our lovely residents enjoyed a refreshing outing to the local Garden Centre — a perfect way to lift spirits and embrace the beauty of nature! Spending time outdoors surrounded by flowers, greenery, and sunshine not only brightens the day but also supports emotional wellbeing and relaxation. 

At Wilsmere House, we believe that little moments like these make a big difference — bringing smiles, joy, and a renewed sense of calm.    

Look who we had come to visit us yesterday.

We had a delightful visit from Performing Pets who bought along Bonzo the Barn Owl. We last met Bonzo when he was a baby so it was really nice to see how much he has grown!  

This week, our care home came alive with colours, music, and joy as we celebrated Navratri, one of the most significant festivals in Hindu culture. Navratri, which means “Nine Nights”, is a vibrant celebration dedicated to Goddess Durga and symbolises the victory of good over evil. Each day is marked with devotion, dance, and togetherness. 

We were delighted to involve all our residents and staff in this auspicious celebration — sharing traditions, enjoying festive activities, and creating cherished memories together. 

We believe in celebrating the rich diversity of our community, making every resident feel at home while embracing cultures and traditions that bring us closer.    

We celebrated Senior Carer Malczewska 20 year service at Adlington Manor. Kasia works on night duty and provides support across the home for all our lovely residents.

Thank you, Kasia, and we look forward to another 20 years of caring, compassionate service to our residents!     

Ashlar House was full of excitement and energy as residents and families came together for a wonderful afternoon of live entertainment. Everyone was thrilled to see Paul return, taking them back in time to the golden 1950s with his fantastic Elvis performance. 

The atmosphere was amazing — there was laughter, singing, and dancing everywhere as residents and families joined in, enjoying a fun and memorable afternoon together.

Lydfords residents were recently visited by Father James for their monthly church service held in the Café Lounge. 

The residents who choose to attend these visits from Father James find them extremely important, especially as some of them are less able to attend a church so having the service come to them makes such a difference.

Many of the residents are consistently attending the monthly visits from Father James. One resident said “I look forward to the visits from Father James as I enjoy the peace and positivity that you receive from the service.”